Method of finishing shirts



Feb. 23 1926.

L. 5. SMITH METHOD OF FINISHING SHIRTS Filed March 13, 1922 i1 ,8. 1 Z-@ U 3522x5222]: 7 OLZAW/S. W

Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

LEONARD S. SMITH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSEGNOR TQ'THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINGINNATE, 01-110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF FINISHING SHIRTS.

Application filed March 13, 1922. Serial No. 543,360.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LEONARD S. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at 933 Avondale Ave, Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Finishing Shirts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of finishing shirts.

The ob ect of the invention is to provide an improved method of finishing or ironing stitl' bosom shirts in such a manner as to impart a. high polish, glaze or finish thereto, Without any liability of distortion of the ma. terial, and which method is of such character that it may be performed with the use of pressing machines ordinarily not adapted for the production of a finish of this character.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter. I 4

The invention comprises the several method steps hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, which represent apparatus suitable for use in the practice of the method, Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a bosom pressing machine; Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the ironing board; and Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the pressing head.

The present method relates to the finishing or ironing of stiff bosom shirts in a manner to impart a high gloss or finished surface thereto, a type of finish which has not heretofore been satisfactorily obtained upon ordinary shirt pressing machines in which the shirt, dressed upon an ironing board with its neckband surrounding a neckband former, is subjected over practically its entire area to the pressing action of a heated polished metal head, which is merely brought into pressing contact with the shirt bosom, is allowed to remain in contact to cook and harden the starch granules and is then withdrawn from contact. A polished or highly glossed finish has always hereto-fore required either the use of a hand finishing iron which is used to perform the entire ironing operation by traversing it back and forth across the shirt bosom, or, the shirt has been subjected to the ironing effect of a heated polished ironing head which has been moved laterally relatively to the shirt bosom and while in contact therewith, to produce a polished finish. Prior shirt pressing machines have been unsatisfactory for the purpose because they produce a dull finish and are ineffective where a high polish or gloss is required.

According to the present method a high subjecting the bosom to the pressing efi ects of a heated smooth surfaced metal head, the area of which is sufficient to practically cover the entire bosom. Contact is main tained for only a limited period and the head is withdrawn from pressing contact before sufiicient time has elapsed to fully and thoroughly cool: or expand and set the starch granules. In other words, the bosom is under-pressed rather than overpressed. However, this pressing eiiect is produced with the bosom properly starched and arranged in smooth, fiat unwrinkled form and is carried to a point sufiicient to set and sli htly stiffen the bosom, yet leaving it in a mellow orrelatively soft condition so that further treat-- ment of the starch granules is necessary to complete theironing effect.

Next, while the shirt is still in stretched and properly ironed condition upon the same ironingboard and before it has an opportunity to thoroughly dry, the bosom is slightly moistened in any suitable man ner, such as by rapidly passingover its surface a suitable moistening device, such as a damp cloth or sponge, or by bringing a damp sheet or cloth into contact with the entire bosom area. Such a sheet or cloth may be moistened witha water spray or by steam or any other agent. The bosom may be moistened by direct application thereto oi a spray of either steam or moisture. A high polish or gloss is then produced upon the shirt by rapidly passingover its mellow and partially set but moist bosom a heated hand finishing iron.

The result of the method is to enable shirts to be rapidly ironed with a high polish in ordinary bosom pressing machines which have heretofore been ineffective for producing a polish or finish. The bosom ironing machine has always been more effective in setting an established or prearranged form for the bosom, an effect which is also secured by the present method,

tween the head and board.

and a high polish is imparted to the bosom by hand finishing. The method is also a departure from complete hand ironing of stiff bosom shirts, in which the iron is applied to and traversed over the moist shirt bosom and progressively'sets the form and then irons first one part of the bosom and then another, so that by such method distortion or stretching of an untouched port-ion of the shirt bosom may occur and indeed is likely to occur by applying the finishing iron thereto after some other portion of the bosom has been subjected to the effect of the finishing iron.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed for carrying out the invention, the drawings showing for this purpose a conventional form of shirt press including a padded ironing board 1 on which the shirt is dressed with its neckband surrounding the expansible neckband "former 2. W'ith said board cooperates an upper heated ironing member or head 3 having a smooth lowerironing' surface alwhich is applied to the shirt bosom by relativevertical motion be- Usually the board rises into contact with the head, as shown, although downward motion of the head may be used if desired. Also, in the present machine the board is mounted upon a swinging turret or frame 5 carrying two duplicate boards, one of which is in registering relation with the head, while the other is at one side of the machine in position where it is exposed for removing and applying shirts. In this machine the shirt is pressed by contact with the head and the turret is rotated to bring the board to exposed position where the bosom is finished by application thereto of a suitable heated hand finishing iron, as will be readily understood. This finishing process is performed while another shirt on the second board is being; pressed. The operator then removes the finished shirt, dresses a new one upon the board, swings the turret to register the board with the press head and proceeds with hand finishing of the second shirt and so on.

What I claim is:

The method of finishing stiff bosom shirts, consisting in dressing the shirt upon padded ironing board, subjecting the shirt bosom simultaneously over its entire area to the pressing efiect of a heated smooth surfaced head. maintaining pressing contact for a period sufiicient to set the form of the bosom but without complete expansion of th is still in position on said board and without changing its established set moistening the bosom and subjecting it to the effect of a hand finishing iron for producing a high polish or gloss thereon.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

LEONARD S. SMITH.

-. starch granules, and then While the shirt 

